ALARMIST Synonyms: 47 Similar and Opposite Words

alarmist

noun

Definition of alarmist

as in extremist

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of alarmist Colorado Education Commissioner Susana Córdova said the results showed opportunities for improvement, but cautioned against alarmist interpretations. — Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 19 Aug. 2026 And sure, six to eight weeks of emergency supplies might sound a little alarmist — maybe borderline doomsday prep-y. — Amber Harding Outkick, FOXNews.com, 31 July 2026 But these predictions were often shrugged off as hypothetical or alarmist and failed to stir public or government action. — Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 22 July 2026 An alarmist might worry about the possibility of an upcoming summer without baseball. — Andy McCullough, New York Times, 15 July 2026 Even temporary sales slumps breed alarmist pronouncements; book parties in disfavored genres begin to feel like wakes, sending off one more spirit to the inevitable afterworld of the remainder shelf. — Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 2 July 2026 The title struck some readers as alarmist. — Joseph Andrew, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026 But the film received criticism in the aftermath of its release, with some naysayers accusing it of being alarmist or exaggerated. — Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 16 June 2026 Gaspar took the unusual step of naming the teachers publicly, a move that Sanchez’s supporters call alarmist. — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 3 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for alarmist

Noun

In a Michigan swing district just north of Detroit, Democratic congressional candidate Christina Hines said voters are far more worried about affording fuel, groceries and healthcare than about left-wing extremists gaining ground in her party.

— Steve Peoples, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
During the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, more than 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed in a campaign of mass murder orchestrated by Hutu extremists.

— ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of extremist

Noun

Aguilera joined in a group beatdown of Ferrer, who lives on the block, after the Queens homeowner confronted the troublemakers with a baseball bat, according to court documents.

— Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 28 Aug. 2026
In fact, in the early days of Trumpism’s rise the South Carolina Senator attempted to block it from taking hold of a party that, just eight years earlier, had once been helmed by Graham’s best friend and fellow Senate troublemaker John McCain.

— Philip Elliott, Time, 28 July 2026

Definition of troublemaker

Noun

The move followed the ousting in a wider government reshuffle last week of tech-savvy reformist Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, which brought out into the open the deep divisions in the Ukrainian defense leadership.

— Reuters, NBC news, 22 July 2026
Pezeshkian, a reformist within Iran’s theocracy, is the highest-ranking official within Iran to reference the release of the funds held by Qatar.

— Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026

Definition of reformist

Noun

The insecurity landscape is also more chaotic because some groups, after initially being invited to help defend against insurgents, turned into terrorists, said Dengiyefa Angalapu, an analyst at the Center for Democracy and Development in Abuja.

— Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 31 Aug. 2026
The intervention underscores Russia’s new role as protector of military regimes across the Sahel, where Africa Corps has replaced Wagner and prioritizes keeping juntas in power over battling insurgent groups.

— Chinedu Asadu, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of insurgent

Noun

In his first letter to the Corinthians in the New Testament, the apostle Paul describes bringing together members of the early Christian community across economic divides to share everything in common.

— Shoshi Parks, Popular Science, 30 July 2026
Camino de Santiago blends history, spirituality and scenery on the route to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, the resting place of the apostle Saint James.

— Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 10 July 2026

Definition of apostle

Noun

The mere existence of such a network, proponents say, would give would-be criminals pause, knowing there’s nowhere to run without being watched.

— Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
The memo is a bit surprising considering Gates still advises Microsoft, one of the major proponents of the technology, and an investor in OpenAI.

— Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of proponent

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“Alarmist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alarmist. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of alarmist

noun

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